24 years ago, March blizzard was 'Storm of the Century'

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Monday marks the 24th anniversary of the blizzard of 1993. 

According to the National Weather Service, the "Storm of the Century" was one of the most intense mid-latitude cyclones ever observed over the eastern United States, with tremendous snowfall amounts from Alabama through Maine.

While only four inches of snow were recorded in downtown Atlanta, the NWS said nearly 20 inches fell in other parts of far north Georgia. The snowfall total for Ellijay was 17 inches.  

The storm formed off the Gulf of Mexico and was as strong as a category 3 hurricane, but the cold temperatures caused all the rain to turn to snow, according to al.com

The NWS said the heavy snow warning for extreme north Georgia was upgraded to a blizzard warning by 5 a.m. on March 13, 1993. Roads quickly became impassable by mid morning due to heavy snow, downed power lines, fallen trees and "white-out conditions." As the evening hours rolled around, snow accumulations averaged 18 to 24 inches from near Rome to Clayton. 

MORE: Blizzard '93 impacts in Georgia

Hundreds of people were killed across the U.S., with 15 of those deaths reported in Georgia. 

The blizzard of '93 broke snow-depth records within three days in Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina and Maryland. The total estimated damage in the U.S. was $5.5 billion ($355 million in Georgia). 

Wikipedia also calls the storm the "'93 Super Storm," the "Great Blizzard of 1993," and the "No Name Storm." 

Ironically, 24 years later, light snowfall was reported across metro Atlanta and north Georgia over the weekend, and Monday's temperatures are almost 20 degrees colder than average. However, we are not expected to see snow this Monday, March 13, in metro Atlanta, but temperatures will remain below average until the weekend. 

MORE: Weekend snow, rain fell across north GA